Deja Vu
by DestinyCharmer
Summary: History has a habbit of repeating itself, Chrno" - Rosette and the gang are back from the dead but Rosette has no memories of her past life. Will she remember in time to save the Order from a new evil?
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:Hey guys, new story :D if you liked my old one then hope you like this one too :) i'll try and update as soon as possible :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade or the chacters**

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** Chapter 1**

_Tick...Tock...Tick...Tock...Tick..._

_Rosette pushed her feet gently against the wooden floor, rocking the porch swing to the same gentle rythem of pocketwatch. The sun was already sinking down beneath the hills in the distances but she could still feel its warmth kissing her closer eyelids, tugging her tired lips in to a small smile. Somewhere far above her a flock of birds called to each other happily and she suddenly longed to be up there with them. The door opened with a creak. "Rosette," _

_Her weak heart gave a light flutter at the sound of his voice. Even after spending four months alone with him she still couldnt get enough of it. Maybe it was because she knew she wouldnt be hearing it much longer. But deep down she knew if she had a hundred years with him it wouldnt be enough. _

_"Why dont you come over here?" She asked, gently patting the seat next to her. "Its nice and warm," She turned her face back towards the setting sun, smiling a little at the view. "Its beautiful. Im...really fond of the view from here... I want to stare at it forever,"  
_

_With obvious effort, he pushed himself forwards and she slid over to make room for him. For a long moment they both simply sat in the peaceful silence broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the light summer breeze. Inevitably it was Rosette who spoke first. "Hey...shall I break the seal? Then you can heal your injuries. You can be well again," _

_She placed her hand over the seal. Too tired to argue, he simply rested his own hand on top of hers, enjoying the warmth of her skin under his. Though he couldnt help but notice it had been getting slightly cooler lately, loosing its usual heat. He noticed her questioning look and sighed. _

_"Its fine," He muttered. "Thats also an important thing to me. So I dont want to loose it," Any sooner than I already will, he didnt add. They didnt speak about their inevitable seperation. Whenever one of them would dance near the subject, the other would change it to pleasenter things like what to have for dinner that evening or how they could fix the broken beams under the ceiling. _

_Beside him, Rosette felt her heart falter then pick up speed. It had been doing that recently. Her breath was too shallow but she couldnt seem to find the energy to sigh. Despite all the years of knowing this day would come, she wasnt ready. There were so many things she hadnt said. But it was becoming more and more difficult to recall certain faces. She closed her eyes and forced herself to picture them; Joshua, Azmaria, Remington, Sister Kate, Elder._

_"I sometimes remember... I wonder how everyone is doing?" No time for holding back now. "But for now, I'd rather be together with you," _

_Somewhere in the distance, a horse and cart rattled by. Niether of them tensed like they used to at the sound of someone approaching. Although the Order must be searching for them, they were safe for now and, afterall, now was all they had. The sun sank lower in the bloodred sky and Rosette couldnt stop the tears swelling in her eyes, spilling on to her pale cheeks. She hadnt expected to feel this way in the end. She had thought she was resigned to it. She had saved Joshua and Aion was defeated. So why did she feel so...panicked? The pocketwatch ticked relentlessly forwards, robbing her of sensible thought. _

_"I wanted to tell you so much," She whispered, smiling sadly at the sky. "When we were finally alone together. But I cant think of the words," Her heart was thudding more painfully now, as if trying to fit a lifetime of beats in to a few short minutes. Her mind seemed to be on fast forward, skipping from one thing to the next so quickly she couldnt focus on one thought long enough to put it in to words. _

_"Lets go inside now. You're the one who should lie down," He suggested, as if that would help at all. Rosette barely heard him. She knew there was something important she had to tell him. Her mind was already fading out, taking her body with it. _

_"What was it?" She whispered, sobbing freely now. "I know it...But...I...Im so scared!" _

_He caught her hand up in his own, holding it firmly as though he could keep her there. Now that the tears had started it was impossible to stop. She lunged at him, trying to burry herself in his warmth. She knew it must have hurt his already badly injured body but he didnt complain as he wrapped one arm around her, still clinging to her free hand. _

_"I dont want to die!" She realised now how true those words were. And it wasnt just because there were still so many things she wanted to do and see. She didnt want to leave him. Four years together wasnt enough, wasnt fair. "I want to..." I want to be with you forever, she considered saying. But she knew he still believed they would be together afterwards. Her own faith had been pushed far beyond the limits. She had very little hope but she wouldnt dash his. "I want to live longer," _

_His grip on her tightened, merging their two bodies together. "Rosette..." He murmered her name again and again in to her hair, his voice cracking each time. Her pulse began to slow and the rush of adreneline faded leaving her tired and weak. She turned her face slightly so she could see the last rays of the sun as it sank behind the hills. _

_Tick...Tock...Tick..._

_There was still something she needed to tell him. But the words wouldnt form in her mind and it was too late now anyway. Her grip on his hand slacked and he pushed his palm in to hers, willing her to stay with him. She longed to feel his heart against her own but the pocketwatch sat in between them as always. _

_Tick...Tock..._

_She couldnt find the right words. So these would have to do. "Thank you..." _

_Tock..._

_Tick..._

_Tock..._

_Tick..._

"Rosette!"

Rosette Christopher straightened up in her seat and stared around her, disorientated. Unshed tears gathered in her eyes, distorting the image in front of her. It took several moments for her to recognise the saphire eyed boy staring back at her, an anxious expression on his face.

"Rosie are you okay?" He asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You looked like you were having a nightmare,"

Nightmare? Was that what it was? But it had felt so real. She had phsyically felt the life being ripped out of her. She glanced around herself again, trying to remember where she was. She was encased in a metal tomb and the ground beneath her rumbled.

"Yeah, I guess I fell asleep. Are we here?" She sat up and stretched, yawning loudly to cover up her distress. Joshua relaxed slightly, though he was still watching her closely.

"Yes. You're such a heavy sleeper its taken me this long to wake you- OUCH!" He rubbed the growing lump on his head where she had smacked him.

"You shouldnt tease a girl whos just woken up," She said curtly, standing up and clambering out of the car. Rosette hadnt actually wanted to come on this trip. But Joshua had insisted and she knew how he hated to leave her alone. Remington had been pretty persistant too, practically bribing her with the promise of three hot meals a day. Really, she had no idea why anyone would want to visit a convent of all places. She hadnt even taken Religious Studies.

"Ah, Rosette you're finally awake," Remington teased, winking at her. She scowled and mumbled something incohently. Joshua stood by her side and smirked. With their identical blonde hair and azure eyes, it was easy to see they were siblings. They might even pass as twins since Joshua had been pushed up two years in to her class. Although most people would hate to be in the same lessons as their younger brother, Rosette loved it. They had always been particularly close and he was weirdly protective of her, as if he was the older sibling not the other way round.

"Now, when we get inside the building you will be given a brief talk about the behaviour expected of you then a tour including the history of the Order of Magdelene. Are you ready?" Remington's eyes suddenly locked with Joshua's. He gave him the smallest of nods and Remington smiled. "Then lets go,"

"Rosette?" She grunted to show she was listening, while still glancing around the exstensive grounds of the Order. "What was your dream about?" Joshua asked lightly as they followed Remington towards the building. She faltered for a split second. Blurred images filled her mind; a soft pair of crimson eyes, pale lips, warm embraces.

"I dont remember, Josh, it was just a stupid dream," She replied impatiently. For a split second she thought she saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes. But then it was gone and Remington was calling for their attention once more.

To say the building was old would be a massive understatement. Rosette was surprised the place was even standing. The old walls were covered in ivy that crawled up the outside like a rash. The windows glinted like strips of gold in the summer sun. Rosette thought she saw the shadow of someone watching them from one of the top floors but it was gone before she could even be sure it was there to begin with. She hurried to catch up with the others. The inside of the building was strangely modern compared to the outside. Restorations had clearly been made and some parts were newer than others.

"It smells like Grandma Joans' house," Rosette whispered making Joshua chuckle.

"This way," Remington held open a door leading to a small room and waited until they were inside before closing it behind them. It was empty except for a young nun with a pretty face and kind green eyes. "This is Sister Claire. She'll be looking after you over the next couple of weeks. If you have any problems you can go to her or myself,"

"Couple of weeks?" Rosette hissed at the back of the room. "Joshua, you said it would be a few days at most!"

"Well, I may have underexagerated a little," Joshua replied advasively.

"Exactly how long is this trip?"

"Good afternoon, everyone," Sister Claire said, beaming happily at the class of bored teenagers. "Before we get on with the tour, I would just like to take this time to set down a few ground rules. As this is a convent there will of course be no alcohol, drugs or smoking. Please refrain from swearing or cursing when possible. Try to keep quiet as there will often be people in prayer. You will be responsible for your keeping your own rooms tidy. Lights out is at ten. No one is permitted to be out of their rooms after then. Right, are you ready for the tour now?"

"Joshua, how long?" Rosette persisted as they filed back out of the room.

"Im not sure exactly..." Joshua pretended to think for a moment. "No more than three weeks..."

"THREE WEEKS?" Rosette blushed as Remington fixed her with a stern glare and lowered her voice. "I cant stay here that long, Josh. I have a job, remember?"

"Remington sorted it all out,"

She frowned suspiciously. "Why are you guys so intent on me being here anyway?"

"You need to stop reading so many conspiracy novels," he countered. "Is it so wrong for me to want to spend time with my sister? You work so much lately I never see you anymore,"

Her face softened and she smiled. "I guess not. You still owe me big time though. I can already feel my spirit being crushed by this place,"

Joshua smirked and nudged his sister playfully but secretly he was relieved. The last thing they needed after eight months of planning was for Rosette to start asking too many questions.

"...first established in the early 1800s, but it has grown in size and now has branches all over the world," Sister Claire was saying. "The Order played a significant role in the second world war..."

Rosette zoned out again. History was not her strongest subject. She wasnt particularly religious either, though she went to church regularly for Joshua's sake. After their parents had died she'd given up on the weak faith she'd had. Her pace slowed as she studied the paintings on the walls. Most of them were the usual scenes of the crufixtion and a few Saints she didnt know or care for the names of. Her eyes brushed over them without much interest until they caught sight of a portrait much larger than all the others.

It featured a pretty blond woman with grey eyes and a small smile gracing her lips. She looked familiar somehow, though Rosette couldnt think where she had seen it before. She looked for a name but the portrait wasnt labelled.

"Rosette!" She started and smiled guiltily at Remington before hurrying to catch up with the others.

"Sorry, Remington," She said, blushing.

"Rosette, you mustnt wonder off by yourself here," He reprimanded. "Its a big place and we both know what your sense of direction is like," He laughed at the expression on her face and ruffled her hair lightly. Although he was her teacher he had also been the one to get her and Joshua out of the care system and in to a proper home. Too young to be her father, he was more like a stern older brother to her and Joshua.

"Right. if Mr. Remington would like to show Joshua to the boys domitory, I will take Rosettes to the girls. We'll meet in the dinner hall at six," Sister Claire suggested. Rosette waved goodbye to Joshua and Remington before following the nun. Rosettes room was more like a closet than anything else. There was barely enough room for the narrow bed and chest of drawers. A rosery hung on the back wall, the only ornimant in sight. She unpakced her things then followed the directions Sister Claire had given her to the dining hall. Joshua was there already and waved her over to his table by the window.

"Now I know why they call the rooms here 'cells'," She muttered as she took a seat opposite him. "Seriously, theres barely enough room to breathe in them,"

Joshua's lips twitched as he fought a smile. Silence fell across the room as a sour faced nun stood up at the front. Everyone bowed their heads as she said Grace. Rosette shifted impatiently throughout the prayer, desperate to start eating. As the final Amen resounded around the room she let out a sigh of relief and began shovelling stew in to her mouth at record speed.

Joshua watched with mild amusement as her face slowly turned from red to blue then back to normal again as she gulped down some water. "One of these days your actually going to choke to death, you do realise that?"

"Then I'll die a happy girl," She replied, pushing her empty bowl away with a satisfied smile. She glanced out the window and suddenly caught sight of someone watching her from the shadow of an old oak a few metres away. She couldnt see his face but he leant against the trunk with the ease of someone who didnt care about being caught staring.

"Earth to Rosette?" Joshua waved his hand in front of her eyes, dragging her gaze away from the figure. "What were you looking at?" She started to explain about the person under the tree but when she glanced back they were gone.

"Nothing," She replied, frowning. "Do you want to go exploring after dinner? I bet this place is just crawling with buried treasure or something,"

"You're such a little kid, Rosie," he laughed before turning serious. "Sorry, but I cant. I promised Remington I would help him with some stuff,"

"You two have been really secretive lately,"

"Oh?" He turned back to his food, trying not to blush under her harsh gaze. She could always see straight through him.

"Yeah... and I think I know why," He looked back at her, startled. A smug grin spread over her face. "You're planning a surprise for my birthday next week, arent you?"

"Oh...yeah, thats it," He let out the breath he'd been holding and made a mental note to plan something for her seventeenth. "Well, I'd better go. I'll see you later, Rosie,"

He ruffled her hair as he went passed and she growled in irritation. She hated it when he did that. Sighing, she glanced around the emptying room with a bored expression. Well, there was no way she was going back to her room. She could always explore the grounds now and leave the rest of the building for when Joshua was free. Eager to get outside, she stood up and practically skipped out of the dining hall. It was one of those summers where the air seemed to buzz with life, even in the evening. She pulled her hair in to two pigtails as she strolled across the grass.

There wasnt much to explore in the end. The most exciting it got was an old chapel that was practically falling where it stood but she wasnt stupid enough to try and go in without Joshua with her. She was unbearably hot, even in her shorts and t-shirt, so she made a direct beeline for the nearest tree and collapsed gratefully in its shade. She lay her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the cool summer breeze playing with stray strands of her hair, completely unaware she was being watched.

"So this is the famous Rosette Christopher," Sister Margaret mused, watching the young girl from the window of her office on the top floor. "I have to admit, Im a little cautious as to how to handle her,"

"How so?" Reminton asked from the couch where he sat.

"When you told me what you had been trying to achieve over the past seventy years, I dug up my Grandmother's old journals. I had read through them before, of course, when I was just a child," She went to her desk and pulled out a worn black notebook. "Not all of it was relevant and most of it bored me. At that age I still didnt realise my calling as a nun. But, as I said, when you told me what you were attempting four years ago I got them out again. There's a lot in there about Miss. Christopher,"

She held it out to Remington who hesitated before taking it. After the final battle Kate had left the Order, unable to fight anymore. Or maybe unable to fight without Rosette. Either way, he had remained intimate with her and was even the one to wed her to her husband, despite the fact that he was no longer officially a priest. She had been actively involved in Project Chrno Crusade from the very begining up until her death in the late ninetys. But he had never heard of or even seen such a journal. He wasnt aware she kept one.

"Dont worry, Ewan," Sister Margaret said flashing him a rare smile. "Im sure she would have wanted you to read this. It is mostly written as a letter, though to who it doesnt specify. Ive marked the page I would like you to look at now,"

Pausing only a second longer, Remington turned to said page and began reading;

I still remember the first day I met Sister Rosette Christopher. I knew right from that moment she would be difficult to handle. For one thing she was fiercly protective over Chrno. When I initially refused to allow him anywhere near the grounds of the Order she kicked up a fuss like no other. Even after I relented slightly to having him sleep inside the grounds but not in the building she was furious. He was the only one who could calm her down. From looking at her, you would never believe the pain she had been put through. Ewan and took me to the Seven Bell Orphanage later that week. Although by this point most of the barriers to protect the area had been put up, the devistation was apparant. Those poor children...

I believe any normal child would have broken down at the sight of her peers being destroyed in such a way. But Rosette was always a very fiery, determined child. It was clear from the begining she had a certain talent in fighting demons. Although we fought most of the time and I am sure she loathed me, I came to love the girl. She had an uncomprehensible copasity to love and forgive when others might simply have given up. I admit to being in awe of her at times. Especially at her relationship with Chrno. I myself never fully trusted the Demon. Loyal to the Order or not, he was a drain on her life force and ultimately caused both their deaths.

Remington closed the journal once more and sighed. What he read didnt surprise him, of course. She had made no secret of her dislike for Chrno.

"A girl who befriends demons, defeats the greatest Sinner of them all. A highly skilled excorsist and high-ranking militia member," Sister Margaret's mouth set in a firm line. "I must admit, I too am in awe of her. And you say she remembers nothing?"

"No," Remington replied. "We tried to bring her back several times before but her soul was fragile and each time the grief and pain would destroy her before she even attached herself to the body. The only way for it to work seemed to be if we supressed the memories, letting her catch only glimpses and peaks throughout her life,"

"Will she ever remember fully?"

"It is impossible to know. Her seventeenth birthday is comming up soon."

"The age she was when she died,"

He nodded thoughtfully. "I expect she will remember more then. But the memories have to be spoon fed, so to speak. If she were to get too many in one go her soul wouldnt cope and she would die once more,"

Sister Margaret shook her head and turned her gaze once more to the girl. "Is that why you brought her here?"

"Yes." Remington suddenly smiled. "Well, that and I thought it was about time the others met her again,"

At this Joshua, who had been listening silently up until that point, sighed heavily. "I still think this is a bad idea,"

"If you had your way you would keep her locked up forever," Remington countered, teasing him.

"And I would," He replied in all seriousness. "But its not her Im worried about," The pair frowned questioningly at him and he sighed once more. Sometimes it felt like he was the only one who thought things through. "What about Chrno? Have you not thought about how hard it will be to him when she sees him and has no idea who he is?"

"He knows what to expect," Remington replied.

"That wont make it any easier," Joshua argued. "Its different for me. She's grown up knowing me as I am - her brother. You are still her mentor and friend. She will meet Azmaria and befriend her the same way she did last time, though in different circumstances, of course. Nothing has changed for us,"

"He can handle it," Remington insisted. He paused, his eyes shadowed with a sudden pain. "You werent there when I first brought him back. When we werent sure if we could bring her back too," He grimaced at the memory then pushed it away. "This will work out. Trust me,"

"I do, though God knows why," Joshua replied, smirking. He sighed then held up his hands in defeat. "Fine. I'll let you do this your way,"

Remington smiled, satisfied then stood up. "I have to go. Satella's plane lands in an hour," He went to hand back the battered diary but Sister Margaret shook her head.

"Keep it," She insisted. "It wasnt meant for me to read,"

He nodded and ran his fondly over the cover before stashing it in his jacket pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow," He gave one final wave and then was gone. Joshua left shortly after him, deciding he should probably find his sister before she managed to destroy something. He wasnt surprised to find her snoozing lightly, her head resting on the trunk as she slept. She had been doing that a lot lately. He guessed she was just stressed about work or something. Not wanting to wake her, he sat down beside her and rested his hand on top of hers. This would work, he tried to convince himself. But it didnt stop him gripping her hand a little tighter, unwilling to let her go again.

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Review please :D kind of short but just sort of an introductory chapter. and no its not a plot hole that everyone can remember except Rosette, theres a reason ;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Hey sorry its been so long since i updated :P thanks for all the reviews enjoy the next chapter :D

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Chrno Crusade

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**Chapter 2**

Rosette opened her eyes slowly and with the feeling that she had been sleeping an impossibly long time. She tried to remember where she was or how she had gotten there. But everything was blank and something inside of her told her this was okay. The ground was soft undernieth her and she ran her hands over the prickly grass, relishing in it's touch. The air smelled of flowers and the sounds of summer drifted over her. As her hand travelled it hit somebody elses. For one short second she wondered who. Then his fingers weaved together with hers and her lips turned up in to a peaceful smile. Oh of course, she realised and sighed in contentment. She ran her thumb over the back of his hand and felt herself dozing back off in to that wonderful oblivion.

Thats when it happened. One moment they were simply lying there. Then all of a sudden there was a massive lurch and his hand was no longer in hers. Frantic, she sat up and turned in a full circle. The garden was still there but he was gone. And one by one the flowers began to wilt and die because without him there was no beauty. The air turned cold and she huddled to herself, trying to keep the tears from falling. She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there when the first pains began. It was if an invisible hook had been pplunged through her then dragged her backwards by her heart. Her body bumped across the ground like a rag doll then rose in to the air at a sickening speed. But before long she was plumetting once more, her body breaking as it hit the ground.

She lay there, trying to catch her breath. But before long the same thing happened and she was once more lying in a heap, trying desperately to call out his name. But each time she fell it became harder and harder to remember it. She tried but it just came out as a strangled cry. As the pain began again she braced herself for what must surely be the final blow. But this time she didn't fall. There was a great pressure squeezing at her from all sides until she thought she was simply implode. And then she broke through it, through a blinding white light and was suddeny surrounded by faces that spoke words she couldn't understand. She strugged against them, crying out. They didn't let her go, though they helped her turn to her side as she vommitted. When her stomach was empty she began fighting them again, biting, scratching, punching, kicking.

Until finally she felt a hand, his hand, slip in to hers. She fell still. She tried to see his face but her eyes burned and the pain was unbearable. So she closed her eyes and let out all the agony.

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Remington started awake at the sharp rap on his door. Before he could even gather his bearings Sister Margaret marched in.

"You need to come to the infirmary," She said, her tone clipped and strained.

"Rosette?" He breathed, for one moment his whole world stopping.

"No. A girl has been attacked. She's in a bad condition,"

A mixture of relief for Rosette and fresh worry rushed through him as he dove out of bed and pulled a coat and boots over his pyjamas. They hurried through the corridors while she filled him in. "One of the other girls heard a scream. They went searching and found Sister Alexandra unconsious in the chappel. There is no obvious wound,"

"Is she still unconcious?"

"No she's talking but she's in shock. I can't really make any sense of what she's saying. I thought you might be able to calm her. The girls trust you,"

They finally reached the infirmary. The last bed on the left had the curtains drawn around but he could hear sobbing. Sister Alexandra was sat up, clutching at another young girl who was trying and failing to soothe her.

"Thank you Sister Abigale I will take it from here," He said much to her relief. When she was gone he sat down beside Sister Alexandra on the bed and took her shaking hand in his. "Alexandra? Is it okay if I ask you a few questions?"

She hesitated a split second before nodding slowly. He smiled reasurringly. "Good girl. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was supposed to put out the candles in the chapel," She began, her voice shaky. "But I forgot. So by the time I remembered it was pretty late. And I was doing them when I heard a noise. It kind of scared me but I couldn't see anyone. Then someone grabbed me from behind and then I blacked out,"

"I see. Did the attacker say anything?"

"Yes. I only remember because it was so weird. They asked me if I could hear it,"

"Hear what?"

"Thats what I said. But that just seemed to make them angrier and then there was this weird pain in my head and the next thing I know I'm waking up here,"

Remington frowned but managed to flash her another smile. "Listen. I want you to get some rest. We're going to have a member of the millitia stay with you so you feel safe, okay?"

Back in Sister Margaret's office, Remington watched the first beams of the morning light hit the sky, turning it a pink-grey.

"Do you think it's one of the girls?" He asked.

"No. Apart from the fact that they are an honest group who wouldn't hurt a fly, there are certain charms in the Order that stop violence against other members. You know this,"

He nodded grimly. "Which only leaves one possibility,"

"Demons cannot break through the seal undetected. Even if they do the drain would be too much on them. They would die in a week. No demon can survive here,"

"Chrno does," Remington pointed out. "If it was a high level demon they may be able to slip by unnoticed,"

There was a long silence as she considered this less than comforting notion. Finally she spoke. "There is someone who can tell us for sure," She hinted gently.

"You know he won't speak to me," Reminton said at once. Sister Margaret sighed as he turned away, clearly unwilling to discuss it any further.

"Hasn't this gone on long enough, Remington? After all, you can't blame the boy for being distressed after all thats happened,"

"He blames me,"

"He's hurting. The girl he loves has no idea he exists. He needs you. And you need him. Even if you're both too pigheaded to admit it,"

Remington frowned stubbornly for a moment before sighing reluctantly. "Fine," He relented, standing up and heaing towards the door. "But I'm telling you he won't talk to me,"

It wasn't difficult to find Chrno. He rarely ever left Elder's old cottage. When the old man had passed away he had taken over the place. He hadn't changed anything though. As Remington moved through the old cottage he smiled fondly at some of the more ridiculous of Elder's inventions. But he didn't stop to reminice. Now wasn't the time. The rumble of the tumble dryer drifted up from the celler where Chrno sat cross legged folding laundery. Seeing a demon, especially such a high ranking one, folding dresses would have been humourous at any other time. Even if he was only in his adult form, thanks to another invention by Elder which could sustain his need for Astral, it was still a little surprising. But Remington didn't laugh.

Chrno didn't glance up as he descended down the stairs. Unsure whether this was a good sign or not, he hesitated before sitting down on the bottom step. A long silence passed, broken only by the constant noise of the washing machine and tumble dryer. Eventually Remington spoke.

"It's strange not having to keep this door locked," He joked, his lips turning up slightly. "Without Elder here trying to steal the underwear doing laundery almost seems too boring now," When Chrno didn't respond he continued. "Of course even that massive padlock couldn't keep him out once he invented that stupid lock picking kit,"

Another pause.

"What do you want Remington?" Chrno finally asked without looking up. His voice wasn't harsh or cold. Instead there was a resigned tone to it and this hurt more somehow.

"There's been an attack. Not Rosette," He added quickly when Chrno's head snapped up in shock.

"A demon?"

"Apparantly,"

"I haven't sensed anything,"

Remington nodded. "Well, if you could just keep a look out,"

"Okay,"

Apparantly finished with the conversation, Chrno went back to his folding. His face was expressionless but Remington could see the dark circles under his crimson eyes. "She's just the same, you know," He said gently. "You should go see her," When this too was met by only silence he finally gave up and turned to leave. But as he reached the top of the stairs he could have sworn he heard Chrno mutter 'You should have left us'. Then again, maybe he imagined it.

xx

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"Joshua?"

"Mm,"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm reading,"

"Riiight..." Rosette frowned up at her brother, her foot tapping slightly in irritation. "But why are you reading like that?"

From his position hanging upside down from the branch of a tree, Joshua simply shrugged. Despite the flush from the blood rushing to his face, his expression was perfectly serious. "In space when there's no gravity and stuff they must have to read upside,"

"So what, now you want to be an astronought?" Again he shrugged. Rosette frowned for a moment longer before her lips tugged up in to a smile. Sometimes her brother was so weird. But that was just one of the reasons she loved him so much. At just fifteen he already knew exactly what he wanted to do; explore worlds that no one had ever seen before. So in a way being an astronought made sense. Except they both knew it would never happen. Because for some reason that Rosette would never fully understand he refused to let her out of his sight. Surely it should be the other way round. Afterall she was seventeen and the eldest. But his protectiveness over her was almost suffocating at times.

"Joshua!"

At the pretty voice, Joshua started and momentarily lost his grip on the branch. Rosette cried out as he crashed to the ground but she wasn't quick enough to stop him landing in a crumpled heap.

"Oh my goodness!" The girl who had called out to him before hurried over, her expression stricken. She was very cute, Rosette noticed. She had long white hair and fair skin that was almost translucent it was so pale. Her eyes were a delicate shade of pink. She almost looked like a china doll. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Joshua mumbled, quickly sitting up. His face had turned three shades darker, Rosette noticed with some amusement. He caught sight of Rosette and seemed to remember her presence for the first time since the girls arrival. "Oh sorry. Rosette this is Azmaria. Az, this is my sister Rosette,"

"Its good to finally meet you," The girl said, smiling warmly. Rosette returned the smile, albeit a little uncertainly. She shot Joshua, who had recovered by now, a questioning look.

"I met Az at that science thing I went on the other month, remember?" He explained.

"Oh...so you're here on a trip too?" Rosette asked Azmaria.

"Not exactly," She replied, laughing a little. "I actually kind of live here. Remington brought me here when my parents died a few years ago,"

"I'm sorry," Rosette said and meant it. But in her mind she couldn't help but wonder if Remington went around saving lost orphans in his spare time.

"We'd better get going," Joshua said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Dinner will be ready soon,"

That was another thing Rosette hated about this place. Breakfast, lunch and dinner were at the same time every day. She'd already missed breakfast three days in a row and even missed lunch too once. The three sat down at a table together and Rosette noticed several of the girls greeted Joshua familiarly. How had he managed to meet so many people in just four days? Especially when he barely left her side. Before she could question him the digital watch on her wrist bleeped. Sighing, she reached in to her pocket and pulled out the small pot. She replaced it after dropping two pills in to her palm. Joshua watched carefully as she swallowed them both down with a gulp of water.

"Hey there's Remington," She commented, more to distract him than anything. He followed her gaze to where Remington and Sister Margaret appeared to be in a heated discussion. "He looks kind of pissed,"

"Rosie you can't swear in a convent," He chided teasingly, though his eyes never left Remington as Sister Margaret stormed in the opposite direction. He stared after her for a moment before catching Rosette's eye and transforming his frown in to a bright smile.

"Late for school nearly every day of the week and yet when there's food involved you're right on time," He joked, walking towards them. Rosette scowled but was distracted by the arrival of her stew.

"My favorite!" She exclaimed happily as she tucked in to the steaming meal.

"As long as it's edible its your favorite," Joshua muttered, making her glare at him. She started to reply when a feeling of unease suddenly came over her. It was like she was waiting for someone else to say something, though she couldn't say who. "You okay Rosie?"

"Fine," She replied snapping out of it to smile at her brother. She forgot about it and finished the rest of her meal five times faster than anyone else, causing Joshua to tease her some more. Azmaria smiled at the pair as they squabbled. Finally everything was as it should be. Her smile faded slightly. Except that Chrno wasn't there...

xx

xx

A sleepy silence had fallen over the Order and the darkness seemed to blanket the whole place in a sense of security. Only the sounds of quickly approaching footsteps broke the silence. Chrno stiffened for a second before relaxing as he recognised Remington's aura. Stepping out of the shadows he turned to greet the man.

"I've been patrolling the place since midnight," He reported. "If there was a demon he isn't here tonight,"

Remington nodded grimly. "Thank you,"

"I don't suppose there's any chance it was a one off?"

"Well we can hope," Remington replied doubtfully. There was an awkward silence. Glancing up at Chrno, Remington began to speak.

"I'm gonna check the place once more then head off," Chrno said, inturrupting him. He nodded resignedly and watched as the demon once again melted in to the shadows. It had been like this between them for months now. Whenever Remington would try to make peace Chrno would walk away. And yet Remington couldn't blame him. Not after all he had been through. He thought about going to check once more on Rosette but decided against it. If there was any chance of Chrno visiting her himself, it was best for Remington to stay away.

Meanwhile Chrno headed through the same corridor he had been checking all night. For a moment he paused outside Rosette's door and strained his ears until he could make out her every breath and each strong heartbeat.

xx

xx

"Rosette...Rosette..."

"Rosette grumbled something incoherent and rolled over, taking the covers with her. There was a pause before they were whipped away and she was left shivering in a curled up ball. Still half asleep she glanced up at her intruder, faltering slightly as she found herself gazing in to a pair of blood red eyes. A wave of sadness suddenly washed over her, crippling her heart and making it difficult to breathe for a second. Tears filled her eyes, splitting the crimson red in to throusands of rubys hovering above her.

"Rosette, are you okay?" Azmaria asked, concern etched on her face. She moved back slightly so that the morning sunlight no longer hit her eyes and they returned to their usual pale pink. Rosette blinked up at her as the tears slowly retreated and her chest loosened.

"Yeah..." She propped herself up on her elbows and laughed a little. "Sorry, don't know what that was about. I must have been having a bad dream," She yawned and glanced at the watch on her bedside table before groaning loudly and collapsing back. "Azmaria, it's only eight, why'd you get me up so early?!"

The pretty girl chuckled, her chiming laughter like music to Rosette's ears. "Because if you miss breakfast I have to listen to you moaning until lunch about how hungry you are. Besides, I'm going to show you that place today, remember?"

"Urrrgh, fine," Rosette relented, reluctantly sliding off the bed. Azmaria stepped out of the room while she changed in to a pair of black shorts and a turquoise vest top. She wore her blue bikin underneath since Azmaria had mentioned something about the beach. Before she left the room she quickly checked her reflection in the mirror. With her hair pulled in to two pigtails she looked kind of young for a seventeen year old. But for once this didn't hold her attention very long. She noticed a dark bruise that was begining to form on her left shoulder. Frowning, she touched it gingerly and winced. She puzzled over it for a moment before deciding she must have fallen out of bed in the night or something. It had happened before afterall. Pushing it from her mind she joined Azmaria outside and together they made their way to the dining hall.

It was clear straight away that something was wrong. The usual bustle and activity of the morning was gone, replaced by a tense silence. Girls huddled together in groups, whispering to each other.

"What's going on?" Joshua asked coming up behind them.

"We don't know, we only just got here," Azmaria replied, trying not to blush at he moved closer to her.

"There's been an attack," Another girl informed them, hearing their coversation.

Joshua frowned. "What, that Sister Alexandra?"

"No, this was a different girl. And it was worse this time. She's only just woken up,"

"I heard theres a demon in the convent," A second girl added. All four of them looked at her in shock.

"Don't be silly, Katie," The other girl scolded. "Demons can't get in here,"

Joshua caught Azmaria's eye and they quickly looked away. Katie wasn't detered though. "It's true. I heard Remington and Sister Margaret arguing about it yesterday when I was supposed to be bringing them tea. He's been patrolling the place at nights too. I've seen him,"

"I've noticed that too," The other girl admitted.

Rosette tried and failed to stifle a yawn. Despite getting an early night and sleeping all the way through she was exhausted. Her eyelids felt too heavy and she was finding it hard to concentrate on the conversation at hand. They ate their breakfast in silence, each thinking their own thoughts. Rosette noticed Joshua and Azmaria exahnging significant looks over their porrige but wasn't too surprised. He was fifteen afterall, she reasoned with herself. Its about time he got himself a girlfriend. And Azmaria seemed nice enough. The way she was so comfortable with them, it was like they'd known each other for years. She seemed to fit right in.

When they were done, Azmaria grabbed the picnic she had made for them and they headed to Remington's car. He'd offered to lend it to them for the day. Since Rosette was begining to get a bit irritable stuck in the convent all day they were driving out of the city. Apparantly she knew a nice place to picnic at. As they loaded their stuff in to the car, Rosette twirled the keys in her hand, an evil smirk on her face. She had recently got her driving liscence and was planning to take full advantage of it. Joshua grimaced anxiously. He had driven with his sister before. It wasn't a fun ride.

"Rosette, did you remember the towells?" Azmaria asked, rummaging through the bags.

"Ooops. I'll be right back!"

Joshua watched as she ran off and smiled. She was so full of energy. A suddenly cry brought him back to reality. Azmaria had dropped the beach bag Rosette had packed, spilling buckets and spades everywhere.

"She's such a little kid," Joshua commented, smirking. "Seriously, where did she even get all this stuff?"

"Need some help?"

They glanced up to see Chrno holding out a deflated Lilo. Azmaria beamed as she took it from him. "Chrno! What are you doing here?"

"I was just taking a walk. I thought you guys would be gone by now," He commented, smiling lightly.

"Rosette's still not ready," Joshua smirked. "You know what she's like,"

Yes, he knew. There was an awkward pause.

"You could come with us," Azmaria suggested, smiling hopefully.

"Ah, I don't think thats a good idea," Chrno replied, backing away slightly. "I've got loads of chores to do,"

"You know no one actually expects you to do them," Joshua said with a smirk. Before Chrno could reply he heard an all too familiar voice call out behind him. Without turning he could feel Rosette hurrying towards them, loose strands of her blonde hair flying around her flushed face.

She breezed right past them to the car, throwing the bag in to the boot. "I've got them!" She rooted through and frowned when she saw the bag that Azmaria had dropped "Az, you better not have damaged any of my tools. I can't make a sandcastle with broken spades!" For the first time she noticed the newcommer.

"Rosie this is Chrno," Joshua said. "He works here at the Order,"

"Hi, nice to meet you," Rosette said with a bright smile.

"You too," Chrno replied while trying to focus on breathing without the use of his lungs and an over-excited heart. As their eyes met his stomach gave an anxious squeeze. This was the first time he had seen her up close since she'd arrived at the Order. Could she tell how nervous he was? He tried not to stare at her too long or make her suspicious.

"Actually, we were just trying to convince Chrno to come along with us," Azmaria chirped in, smiling innocently at him when he shot her an annoyed look.

"Oh yeah, you should definately come!" Rosette said, pointing at the basket. "We've got a picnic and everything,"

"Uh, I don't really like the beach," He lied, smiling apologetically. When her warm smile quickly turned in to an irritated glare he sweatdropped. He half expected her to march up to him and pull him in to a headlock like she used to do, his new height be damned. Instead she just shot him a withering look.

"Everyone likes the beach," She snapped, then added for emphasis, "Except boring old people,"

He decided now wasn't the time to point out he was over a hundred years old. Joshua just chuckled. "Ignore my sister. She doesn't have very good manners," Said blonde simply poked her tongue out at him before helping Azmaria pick up the remaining spades and shove the bag in to the boot. While they were distracted Joshua moved closer to Chrno and said in a low voice, "Come on, Chrno. It'll be fun,"

"Why are you so bothered about me coming?" Chrno muttered, still trying to think of a watertight excuse to get him out of this. The blonde fixed him with a solemn stare that didn't fit his fifteen year old face.

"Because this is how it should have been. And it's my fault we didn't have more days like this,"

"Joshua," Chrno said quickly, placing his hand on Joshua's shoulder as he glanced away, ashamed of himself. "It wasn't your fault,"

He held up his hands in a way that said he didn't agree but wasn't going to argue. "Either way. I want to give her those days back. It won't be the same without you," It was a low blow and he knew it. But it worked and that was all that mattered. Finally Chrno relented, grumbling under his breath as he did so. "Hey guys, Chrno is going to join us afterall,"

Both girls cheered happily and Chrno blushed as Rosette grinned at him. They all piled in to the car, the girls in the front, boys in the back. There was a moment of tense silence as Rosette started up the engine. She glared at them all, huffing slightly. "Geez, don't act so scared. I passed my test didn't I? So I must be a good driver, right?" Seemingly cheered by this thought she began to drive towards the main gates.

"She only passed because the examiner was scared to death of her coming back for a fifth time," Joshua muttered making the other two giggle. A harsh stare silenced them all. They all held their breath as Rosette rolled smoothly on to the road. She drove at a reasonable speed through the roads. Chrno relaxed slightly, relief washing through him. Maybe she was only a scary driver when they were after man-eating demons, he reasoned. She slowed at the lights. Unfortunately the car beside them chose that moment to rev their engine. Rosette met the driver's challenging gaze with a smirk.

"Uh oh..." Joshua said, carefully checking his seatbelt.

"What?" Azmaria asked, suddenly wishing she wasn't in the front.

"Rosie can get a little competitive," he explained, apparantly preparing himself. Chrno let out a low groan as he felt their own engine rev. The lights changed and they were off. The car beside them was in better condition but Rosette was a fearless driver. The three passengers of the hell ride held on to anything they could as they went skidding round corners, other cars beeping angrily at them.

"HA! I BEAT HIM!" Rosette screamed as the other guy admitted defeat and slowed. However she didn't stop. She'd had her taste of speed and wasn't going to slow down anytime soon. What should have been an hour jounrney became just a twenty minute one with Rosette behind the wheel. When the car finally screeched to a halt Azmaria, Joshua and Chrno practically fell out in their attempt to get to safe ground.

"Land!" Joshua cried dramatically. The three of them lay there, trying to get over the fear while Rosette skipped happily past them, grabbing the bags from the boot. When she saw they hadn't moved she frowned a little.

"Geez, whats wrong with you guys?" She asked, before strolling down towards the sand. They stared after her in disbelief. Sighing, Chrno was the first to move. He helped the other two to their feet. Rosette had already dumped her 'tools' on to the floor and was gazing around at the scenery. It was pretty spectacular. Azmaria had found it on an outing with Remington once. It was a private beach but the owners hadn't minded them using it. They were elderly and rarely came here themselves. The small strip of sand was completely undisturbed and the sea glittered ahead of them, so inviting in the summer heat.

"Who wants to go for a swim?" Joshua asked, already stripping off his t-shirt. Chrno almost choked when Rosette did the same so that she was only wearing her tiny shorts and a blue bikini top that matched her eyes.

"Last one theres a rotten egg!" She cried, sprinting towards the ocean. Joshua caught up to her as she hit the waters edge, grabbing her from behind and twirling her around so thats he squeeled. The siblings wresteled each other all the way in to the sea then proceeded to have a ferocious water fight. Chrno sweatdropped when Rosette held her brothers head under the water a fraction of a second too long. He came up choking but she just laughed and splashed him again.

"Its great seeing them so happy, isn't it?" Azmaria commented, smiling lightly as she set up the picnic blanket and sat down, hugging her knees to her chest. "After everything that Aion put them through, to see them together again..." She trailed off, not really needing to finish her sentance. She knew Chrno undersood completely. The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Azmaria glanced at Chrno and sighed. He was staring off in to the distance, a peacefull look on his face. She knew he was simply happy to see Rosette full of life and healthy again. But geez how long was it going to take for him to stop looking at her as something that needed to protecting and start seeing her as... well slightly more than that. She thought for a moment, an idea hitting her.

"Its great to have Rosette back at the Order," She commented casually. Chrno simply nodded, smiling slightly. "Even with Joshua keeping us updated, it was hard not being an actual part of her life. Knowing she was making new friends, meeting other guys..."

Chrno turned sharply to look at her. Bingo. She kept her face neutral and continued to gaze out towards the ocean, refusing to meet his gaze.

She went on, keeping her tone light. "It was a close call with that James guy too. I can't imagine she would have been too keen to come back here if it meant leaving a boyfried,"

There was a pause. _Go on, _she mentally pleaded, _take the bait. _

"James?"

She had to stop the evil smirk crawling across her lips. She had him, now all she had to do was reel him in a little.

"Oh, I forgot you never heard about that," She said, as if she only just remembered. "Joshua said something a while ago about some guy in Rosette's class who took a liking to her. Kept calling her or something. They even went out on a couple of dates,"

"Oh?" He tried to sound casual but his voice was slightly strained, as if he was holding back.

"Yeah. We decided it was probably best not to tell you," She wasn't lying. For a while they had both been pretty worried Rosette would fall for him. But in the end it just didn't work out. "But you know, she is a pretty girl. It was bound to happen eventually. Luckily it didn't last too long. This time..."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye and smirked as she saw his jaw set. He was clearly annoyed with the idea that there might be other men in Rosette's life. Now to plant a threat in his mind.

"You know, she's always had that thing for Remington. That would be awkward if it developed," She laughed lightly, pretending not to see the muscle in Chrno's jaw twitch. She felt a twinge of guilt for making him feel that way. Then again, if thats what it would take to stop him feeling sorry for himself then so be it. Before she could say anything else, Rosette and Joshua came running towards them. They were both soaking wet. Rosette laughed as she freed her hair of the plaits and and shook the water out of it, spraying the others.

"You're like a dog," Joshua muttered earning himself a slap around the head.

"What were you guys talking about?" She asked, sitting opposite them.

"Nothing," Azmaria said quickly, smiling innocently. Joshua frowned curiously but Rosette didn't seem to notice. As she dug in to her sandwhich, Chrno found himself watching her. He wondered if he could slyly get the last name of that guy out of Azmaria. It wouldn't do any harm to pay him a little visit after all...

xx

xx

Remington hurried through the corridors, ignoring the clusters of girls whispering anxiously as he passed. The two millitia members guarding the infirmary doors parted to let him in. A group of nurses were hovering around one bed, working over the patient. Sister Margaret was stood just outside the circle, observing the activity with a grim expression. He hurried over to her.

"Another attack?"

She nodded. "That makes it three in just five days,"

"How is she?"

"Not good. Its like the attacks are getting worse,"

"What's wrong with her exactly?"

"The nurses have no idea. Its almost like she's just tired. She won't wake up even though there's no actual physical damage...." She trailed off, the worry evident in her voice. Remington placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll double the night security. And set a curfew. At least until we catch whatevers doing this,"

Sister Margaret nodded, trying to feel comforted by his words. But something wasn't right. She could feel it. Someone was harming her girls. And she didn't know how to protect them this time.


End file.
